Ghost Fire
by Goldberry
Summary: When Tai is pulled back to earth, Sora becomes a shadow of her true self with only her promise to protect the other destined to keep her alive. It will take the return of Courage to help her see just what it means to live, and to love. [taiora]


Ghost Fire  
  
  
Sora had become a ghost.   
  
It had been the only solution at the time, shadowing the group as they split, trying to protect them against themselves. It didn't occur to her that she had taken on the role of leader, albeit somewhat limitedly, she watched over them because it was simply something she wanted to do. They needed her, especially small Takeru, and she would have died before letting them down. But though she tried to stay strong, her heart wept for Taichi. It had cracked the moment Tai had vanished through that dimensional rift and she had cried out for him to come back. He had saved her at the expense of his own life and it seemed a pale comparison that the only thing she could do in return was try and protect the rest of the destined.   
  
The first month was the hardest. As everyone went their own ways, she stayed with Matt and T.K., a silent pair of eyes as Matt left his brother to look around. It was no surprise to her when he didn't return and, late at night when T.K lay asleep, she cradled him in her arms, wiping away the drying tears from his skin. His heart was broken, too, now that Matt had left him, and her only wish was that Tai would return and heal the both of them.   
  
As it happened, her wish came true. Somehow, Tai made it back to the digiworld and the first one he found was Takeru who threw himself into Tai's arms, begging the older teen to let him become his brother. Tai had gently told the distraught child that he didn't think it worked that way but that he would be his big brother until they found Matt.   
  
And as simple as that, T.K. smiled.   
  
She couldn't believe it. Not only was her Taichi alive, but he seemed to possess some inner light that drew others to him like a moth to the flame. He had changed somehow, and yet, he was the same, gentle boy she had played soccer with as a child. But what mattered was that he was back and she was whole again.   
  
That night, she walked down by the water's edge just to clear her mind and calm her heart. The moonlight brushed the tops of the water with silver strokes and the waves made soothing music as they lapped against the shore. Being so attuned with nature as she was, she didn't notice Tai as he came to stand behind her.   
  
"Sora?"  
  
She whirled around and found herself staring into a pair of beautiful coffee-brown eyes. Tai's unruly hair blew about his face and he stared at her as if a wish had come true.   
  
"Am I dreaming?" he asked quietly, a kind of sad expression stealing across his features. She smiled gently.   
  
"Yes."  
  
He nodded. "I thought so, but I was hoping it was real."  
  
She smiled again and turned back to the ocean. Tai took a step forward to stand at her side, his quiet strength giving her purpose.   
  
"Where are you, Sora?" He asked, a child-like hurt in his voice. "I want to find you but I don't know where you are."  
  
She looked up at the moon, hoping the silver glow would disguise the crystal tears on her face. She didn't want to hurt him but she still had to find the others before she could be with him. She owed him that much.   
  
"I'm always with you, Taichi." She said, more lightly than she felt. "But there are others who need me, too."  
  
He nodded again, accepting her truth as necessary, before suddenly grasping her shoulders and pulling her roughly against his chest. She was so surprised it took her a moment to realize he was trembling and she slid her arms around his neck to hold him close to her.   
  
"I need you, Sora." He whispered, hoarsely, and she buried her face in his shoulder. "Something else is coming, something worse than Etomon, and I will need everyone together to fight once more. I'm scared to death but I know what needs to done. The others need me to lead them, but I...I need you to guide me."  
  
She smiled tearfully against the fabric of his shirt. "I'll be there, Tai, I promise, but I must protect the others until you can find them. I have a feeling they are in trouble and I have to make sure they are all right." She raised her head from his shoulder to meet his star-hued eyes. "Lend me the fire of your courage, Tai. Ghost fire to strengthen me. I will need it to keep everyone alive."  
  
"Everything I am is yours, Sora." He replied, stepping away from her. "Always has been."  
  
She watched him back away, cursing the deception that made him believe this was a dream. She only wanted to run into his arms and stay there forever, safe and protected, but she had a mission and she had to complete it first, for him.   
  
"I will bring them to you, Taichi, all the destined. I won't fail you."  
  
He gave her that crooked, trade-mark smile. "Come back to me, Sora."  
  
She nodded and he disappeared into the woods, back to T.K. and the role of leader of the digidestined. He would wake in the morning and remember that night only as a dream to keep him warm as he searched for the others, somehow always knowing that Sora was there, an every-guarding angel.  
  
Later, T.K. would recall that it was Sora who warned him away from mushrooms that would have erased his memory, and Joe would learn she had saved him from yet another clumsy mishap, and Mimi would remember a dream she had where Sora appeared and led her down the path of self-revelation.   
  
And Taichi would listen to their amazing tales and know it was all for him, and always would be.   
  
  
  
THE END  
  
* * * *   
  
Author's Note: My first Digimon fic! I usually write Gundam Wing so this was great experience. Sorry if they were OOC, first try. Anyway, hope it didn't totally suck. I really wanted to get across the mystery of Sora as I just watched the episodes where she helps out the other destined without truly revealing herself. I thought it was great how she protected them from afar. And I just love taiora!   
  
Anyways, please review and you get a cookie! *hugs*  
  



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